Preventive measures are the best way to handle difficult board members. Make sure that your agency’s goals for board members are clear and they are able to align their vision with that organisation. This will reduce the number of situations where a board member’s advice is counterproductive. However, if a problem occurs be proactive and do not ignore the behavior that is causing you concern. Avoiding it will only make it worse.
It starts with direct intervention – a one-on-one conversation with the person that is causing problems. Be professional and calm but also direct and express your concerns clearly. Ideally the person will agree with you and change their behavior, however in the event that this doesn’t work, try engaging in a group discussion with the chair or someone who the board member is highly respected by. You might want to look over the Values statement of your organization and/or other documents that govern the organization for words that could serve as a standard for acceptable behavior, which includes treating people with respect.
Another option is to convince the person to step down from the board (ideally in a voluntary manner, but if required, by the vote of no confidence). This requires careful planning and preparation prior to the meeting or discussion. Prepare a thorough response to https://theboardmeeting.blog/how-do-you-keep-up-with-trends-in-your-industry the principal questions you’d like to address. Be assertive, but maintain the appropriate tone.